Hello readers!!
This blog is part of flipped learning task based on Derrida and Deconstruction. In this blog the questions are answered after watching videos. First let us understand the meaning of flipped learning.
Flipped learning is like flipping the script on how we usually do things in the classroom. Instead of teachers giving lectures during class time, they provide materials like videos or readings for students to go through before coming to class. This way, students can learn at their own pace and come prepared with questions and ideas.
Then, when students come to class, it's all about getting hands-on and interactive. They might work together in groups, discuss ideas, solve problems, or do experiments. The teacher is there to guide them, answer questions, and help out where needed.
What's cool about flipped learning is that it puts students in the driver's seat of their own learning journey. They're not just sitting and listening; they're actively engaging with the material, thinking critically, and collaborating with their peers.
Plus, flipped learning is super flexible. Students can review the materials as many times as they need to really understand them, and teachers can tailor activities to suit different learning styles and needs.
Oh, and technology? It's a big part of flipped learning, but it's not just about watching videos. Teachers might use all sorts of tech tools to make learning fun and engaging, like interactive games, online discussions, or virtual simulations.
Overall, flipped learning is all about making learning more hands-on, interactive, and personalized.
Video 1: Defining Deconstruction: After watching this video, ponder and write a brief note on:
1. Defining Deconstruction
1.1. Why is it difficult to define deconstruction?
Deconstruction is difficult to define because Derrida questions the very possibility of defining any term rigorously and definitively. He believes that, like all philosophical terms, deconstruction cannot be defined once and for all. This makes it a challenging concept for students and scholars who often seek clear and defined terms for use.
1.2. Is Deconstruction a negative term?
Deconstruction is not a negative term. Derrida emphasizes that it is not a destructive activity aimed at breaking down concepts for the sake of destruction. Instead, it is an inquiry into the foundations and conditions that allow a philosophical system to exist and also to understand why a system cannot be entirely closed off or definitively defined.
1.3. How does Deconstruction happen on its own?
Deconstruction happens on its own because the conditions that produce a philosophical system are the same conditions that set its limits. Derrida argues that these conditions are responsible for both the coherence and the undoing of the system. The term "différance" is used to describe this phenomenon, which involves the same foundational conditions leading to the system's deconstruction.
Video 2: Heidegger and Derrida: After watching this video ponder and write a brief note on:
2. Heideggar and Derrida
2.1. • The influence of Heidegger on Derrida
Heidegger's philosophy deals with themes that Derrida continues, particularly the concept of deconstruction. The term "destruction" in German is translated as "deconstruction" in French.Heidegger and Derrida both emphasize the role of language, with Heidegger suggesting that language, not man, speaks. This leads to the postmodern idea that language displaces man from the center of philosophy, a theme Derrida continues.
2.2. • Derridean rethinking of the foundations of Western philosophy
Derrida aims to rethink the foundations of Western philosophy, continuing Heidegger's project of dismantling and transforming it.He seeks to reinvent the language of philosophy, emphasizing the importance of writing over speech.Derrida critiques Heidegger by pointing out that Heidegger still emphasizes language as speech rather than writing, a tendency Derrida terms "phono-centrism."This critique is part of Derrida's broader challenge to th"metaphysics of presence" and "logo-centrism," which prioritize immediate presence and spoken language over the written
Video 3: Saussure and Derrida: After watching this video, ponder and write a brief note on:
3. Saussure and Derrida
3.1. • Ferdinand de Saussureian concept of language (that meaning is arbitrary, relational, constitutive)
Arbitrary: The relationship between a word and its meaning is based on social convention, not natural connection.
Relational: Meaning is created through differences and contrasts between words.
Constitutive: Meaning is constituted by the social consensus on the use of words.
3.2. • How Derrida deconstructs the idea of arbitrariness?
Derrida argues that the meaning of a word is always deferred to other words, creating an endless play of differences.He introduces "différance," showing that meaning is never fixed but constantly shifting.
3.3. • Concept of metaphysics of presence
Argues that Western philosophy privileges presence over absence, creating binary oppositions for example good vs. evil.
Video 4: DifferAnce: After watching this video, ponder and write a brief note on:
4. DifferAnce
4.1. • Derridean concept of DifferAnce
Différance combines two meanings: "to differ" and "to defer."It highlights that meaning is always postponed (deferred) and created through differences
(differentiation).It is not a fixed concept but a force that enables differentiation and deferral, essential for communication and understanding.
4.2. • Infinite play of meaning
Meaning is never final; it continuously shifts and leads to other meanings.This constant deferral means that the ultimate meaning is always postponed, creating an infinite play of meaning.
4.3. • DIfferAnce = to differ + to defer
To Differ: Meaning is established through differences between words e.g., black is understood in contrast to white
To Defer: Meaning is always postponed, never fully grasped, and leads to other meanings, creating a chain of signifiers.
Video 5: Structure, Sign and Play: After watching this video ponder and write a brief note on:
5. Structure, Sign and Play
5.1. • Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences
Derrida's essay critiques structuralism, particularly the work of Lévi-Strauss, and introduces post-structuralism.
It argues that structuralism, which started as a critique of metaphysics and science, paradoxically relies on the same assumptions it aims to critique
5.2. • Explain: "Language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique."
Language inherently contains assumptions and meanings that are always deferred, making ultimate interpretation impossible.Because of this deferral, any critique made using language will contain blind spots, necessitating further critique.This self-critical nature applies to all philosophical systems, including deconstruction itself, leading to an ongoing process of auto-critique.
Video 6: Yale School: After watching this video, ponder and write a brief note on:
6. Yale School
6.1. • The Yale School: the hub of the practitioners of Deconstruction in the literary theories
Yale University played a crucial role in spreading Derrida's ideas in America, transitioning deconstruction from European philosophy to American literary criticism. This shift made Yale a significant and controversial center for deconstruction. Influential figures such as Paul de Man, J. Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom, and Geoffrey Hartman, collectively known as the "Yale hermeneutic Mafia," were instrumental in popularizing and establishing deconstruction in the literary world.
6.2. • The characteristics of the Yale School of Deconstruction
The Yale School emphasized that literature is a construct of language, rich in figurative elements. They argued that language is an unreliable tool for
communication, leading to multiple interpretations. This is evident in the way figurative language creates ambiguity, as seen in metaphors and idiomatic expressions.
Video 7: Other Schools and Deconstruction: After watching this video ponder, and write a brief note on:
7. Other Schools and Deconstruction
7.1. • How other schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists used Deconstruction?
New Historicism uses deconstruction to explore the reciprocal relationship between texts and their historical contexts, recognizing that texts are shaped by history and history is understood through texts. Cultural Materialism adopts Derrida's ideas to emphasize the materiality of language and reveal hidden ideological agendas. Feminism and Gender Theory leverage deconstruction to challenge and subvert patriarchal binaries, particularly between male and female, providing tools to undermine patriarchal discourses. Marxism employs deconstruction to analyze the power dynamics and economic structures within texts, uncovering underlying social relations.
Thankyou....
Be learner....
